The process can begin after the verdict in the Russian Federation and presidential elections in Ukraine.

For Kiev, the return of the captured sailors is one of the main foreign policy priorities / photo UNIAN

Russia may 2019 to exchange Ukrainian sailors detained after the Russian aggression in the Black sea, the Russians, who have been in detention in Ukraine.

This was “Izvestia” said a senior Russian diplomatic source.

A source told the publication that, well, a lot depends on the Ukrainian side, – how Kiev will be ready to go to a specific arrangement.

“Now to exchange Ukrainian sailors cannot. It is necessary to wait for the court decision, and then you can talk about the exchange”, — said the interlocutor of “Izvestia”.

For Kiev, the return of the captured sailors is one of the main foreign policy priorities. Before the presidential elections, the exchange would be unlikely. Also, the officials in the Ukrainian government and parliamentary circles, confirmed to reporters that the exchange is likely to take place after the presidential elections in the country.

See also”Court” over Ukrainian prisoners sailors will begin no earlier than a year – the lawyer

In the state Duma is assured that the exchange process will start only after the verdict of the Ukrainian sailors. The exchange of prisoners and detainees between Russia and Ukraine in the foreseeable future is quite real, said the Chairman of the Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots Leonid Kalashnikov.

We recall the morning of November 25, Russia blocked the passage through the Kerch Strait the Ukrainian tugboat “Yana Kapu” two boats “Berdyansk” and “Nikopol”. To do this, the Russians blocked the movement under the Crimean bridge tanker and even resorted to RAM the tug the edge of the ship “don”. The evening of the same day the Russian ships attacked them and captured, while injuring at least six Ukrainian sailors and taking the rest prisoner. Subsequently, the so-called courts in anacoana Crimea, arrested them for two months. After that sailors were taken to jail in Moscow. All they are accused of alleged illegal crossing of the Russian border. Later, all Ukrainian sailors pleaded prisoners of war in Russia.